Terry Smith

Terry Smith
Survivor

I am 57-year-old male.  It started one day at work I started to feel very tired and my arms and legs started to ache.

I tried to get into my local doctors but could not get in until 5 days later .
By this time I wasn’t well at all. My doctor knew what I had nearly straight away. I had pneumonia and sepsis had set in. (Sepsis and Pneumonia)

I was rushed to my local hospital and moved straight into a cubicle. I don’t remember too much after that. I was taken to ICU and remember coming around and being on a ward with drips and fans blowing cold air onto me.
My temperature was still very high and I didn’t feel well at all, breathing was difficult for me and talking drained me.

It is now 6 weeks. I’ve lost just over a 18 pounds in weight, and still do not feel great. I’ve been very lucky compared to most people and sepsis has only damaged my liver, and I have terrible pains in my legs feet and arms. I have noticed that I can forget what I am talking about and go blank at times until I ask what I was talking about. Then it returns .

All these symptoms are new to me as I was an active, pretty fit person.
My doctor says all these are symptoms of sepsis and they could get better with time. My liver should repair itself over the years hopefully. My legs and arms are a concern to myself as I am an electrical engineer and these are my tools, if you understand . When I talk to people, I still get very tired quickly but my lungs are not working correctly yet so hopefully this will build itself back up to strength.

I never realised I was so ill until I spoke to my doctor. I know I have been very lucky, and thanks to the medical staff I’m still here and everything else is a bonus. I try to stay positive but it is difficult at times.

Today I’m exhausted again. I really am in pain too, worse than yesterday. I did walk a little yesterday. If I push myself too hard I seem to suffer the next day, so like my doctor says, little steps, rest and sleep if your body says so.
This is going to be a slow rebuild. I am going in the right direction, but the answer to all this is stay positive, you’re still here, lots of people have sadly not recovered.
I am going to update my story as time goes on and with luck I hope to have better news

Send us Your Story
Learn More about SepsisSupport Faces of Sepsis